XN000022-1984-05-07 — Page 6

MONDAY, MAY 7, 1984

5

+THEY ARE 'LEARNING TO LEARN'. HERE ARE PEOPLE WHO ARE ALREADY SUCCESSFUL. THEY HAVE BRAINS, EXPERIENCE, THEY HAVE DONE WELL. THEY ALREADY KNOW WHAT MANAGEMENT IS ABOUT BECAUSE THEY HAVE SUCCEEDED IN DOING IT. WHAT WE ARE CONCERNED WITH IS A BROADENING OF THEIR PERSPECTIVE AND GETTING THEM TO GO ON LEARNING FROM THE IR OWN EXPERIENCE.

IT +THE WORLD IS GETTING MORE COMPLICATED, MORE UNCERTAIN. IS VERY MUCH THE CASE THAT WE ARE DOING SOMETHING THAT HAS NOT BEEN DONE BEFORE, SO WE HAVE TO ESTABLISH SOMETHING ON NEW GROUND.

+IN THE SAME WAY, SENIOR OFFICERS OF GOVERNMENT ARE GOING TO BE ALREADY DEALING WITH UNCERTAINTY. THE WAY YOU DEAL WITH IT IS TO PREPARE OPTIONS, TAKE ACTION, REVIEW ACTION. IF YOU ARE RIGHT YOU BUILD UP EXPERIENCE - AND THAT IS HOW YOU LEARN AND SURVIVE.+

FULL-TIME COURSES WILL START FROM SEPTEMBER THIS YEAR AND THE .OFFICIALS SELECTED TO ATTEND WILL BE AT THE TOP END OF THE GOVERNMENT'S MASTER PAY SCALE, EARNING $20 000 A MONTH OR MORE, UP TO THE FIRST TWO POINTS OF THE DIRECTORATE PAY SCALE.

THEY WILL BE BETWEEN 30 AND 45 YEARS OF AGE AND THERE ARE NO FORMAL ACADEMIC ENTRY QUALIFICATIONS. SEVERAL MEMBERS OF EACH COURSE WILL COME FROM THE PRIVATE SECTOR AND EQUIVALENT EXPERIENCE, SENIORITY AND RESPONSIBILITIES WILL BE REQUIRED.

THE COURSE WILL SEE PARTICIPANTS REMOVED FROM THE IR NORMAL DUTIES FOR ITS THREE MONTHS DURATION. INCLUDED WILL BE SESSIONS IN THE NEW CENTRE TO BE SITUATED IN THE SUN HUNG KAI CENTRE, ONE-WEEK RESIDENTIAL PERIODS AT THE BEGINNING AND END AND AN OVERSEAS VISIT.

CORE STUDIES, INCLUDING TOPICS SUCH AS HISTORY, LAW, GOVERNMENT STRUCTURE, ACTIVE SEMINARS, WORKSHOPS, INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP PROJECTS AND READING PROGRAMMES WILL ENSURE THAT THE PRESSURE TO LEARN ON THE 40 PARTICIPANTS IS MAINTAINED.

THE FOUR MAIN COURSE OBJECTIVES ARE DEFINED AS DEVELOPING: THE CENTRAL GOVERNMENT PERSPECTIVE, INCREASED COMPETENCE IN KEY AREAS OF MANAGEMENT SPECIALISATION, SKILLS IN HANDLING INDIVIDUALS AND GROUPS, AND A BETTER UNDERSTANDING OF THE ENVIRONMENT WITHIN WHICH GOVERNMENT OPERATES AND THE ROLE OF A SENIOR ADMINISTRATOR.

ALL THESE AIM AT DEVELOPING A BETTER BUREAUCRACY IN HONG KONG. BUT BUREAUCRACY HAD HAD AN EXTREMELY BAD PRESS OVER THE YEARS SO WHY DEVELOP IT?

LEN SNEDDON: +ONE OF THE REASONS IT EXISTS IS THAT IT WAS DISCOVERED BY HUMAN BEINGS TO WORK. THE PHARAOHS HAD THE EARLIEST KNOWN EXAMPLE OF BUREAUCRACY.+

+BUT OF COURSE IT IS A COMPROMISE AND, LIKE EVERYTHING ELSE, PEOPLE CRITICISE THE BAD THINGS AND FORGET THE GOOD. BUREAUCRACY SEEMS TO BE NECESSARY GIVEN THE EXISTENCE OF LARGE ORGANISATIONS.

/+BUT THE